Skin left in contact with undiluted gastric acid can develop a significant chemical burn.
Exposure to gastric acid can occur:
(1) adjacent to a PEG tube
(2) if a nasogastric tube becomes disconnected
(3) the patient lies in vomit
Parameter
More Severe
Less Severe
skin contact
long
brief
gastric acid
stimulated acid secretion
achlorhydria, acid suppression
dilution of gastric contents
little or none
a lot
care of exposed skin
none or delayed
immediate
The presence of gastric contents may be missed if:
(1) the patient has an altered level of consciousness
(2) lighting is poor, the exposure is at night or the site is poorly visible
(3) the patient is alone and unattended
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Specialty: Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, Dermatology
